Where We Belong
by NickiForDraco
Summary: Draco's mission is too gain Harry's trust and get important information for the Dark Lord, but what happens when instead of getting information from him, he falls for him? This fic is based off the song Where We Belong by Thriving Ivory.


" You've got one hand on the **devil** baby and one hand in **mine**,  
But **don't let go**, no, it's **not too late** you know  
**Hold on**, we're gunna make it if it takes all night!  
**Hearts racing** like a rocket at the speed of light,  
Don't fight it, we've been **running for far too long**,  
We're going back where we belong! "

Draco Malfoy was crouching silently behind a suit of armor in the 4th floor corridor. He knew he ought not to be there but he couldn't help it. He knew that the Gryffindor common room was somewhere on this floor and that Potter would have to walk past sooner or later. Just as though the Golden One could read minds he rounded a corner with Weasel and Granger. Draco sighed in annoyance, could he not have one moment with just Har-Potter...? The two had been meeting in secret for a few weeks now and had become pretty good friends. It had all started when they both received a detention. Cliché, I know, but scarily true. The two boys didn't speak most of the time but then Draco had a sudden burst of guilt for getting Harry into the detention in the first place. He didn't know why he felt bad, but he did! He didn't need to explain himself! So he did what he thought was appropriate, he coughed out an extremely awkward and... as heart-felt as he could have made it. Which wasn't very heart-felt. If you want details it went something like this.

'Okay Potter... I just... Oh stop looking at me like that you twat!... I am.. apologizing... sort of, maybe... Okay I am. But I swear, if you tell anyone about this I will hex you into next week!'

Of course the noble and selfless Gryffindor accepted the apology and went on cleaning and scrubbing the floors of the dusty old classroom. It was then that Har-Potter... starting making small talk with the Slytherin, and from there on they became secret friends. Friends!

Potter, Weasley and Granger strolled past, Potter closest to where Draco was, he contemplated grabbing the robes that were billowing behind the raven-haired boy but thought better of it when Granger casually glanced backwards just as Draco reached for the robes, luckily she didn't see him. A thought then occurred to Draco. He didn't think about how close the trio still was as he leapt from behind the armor and bolted straight past them towards the owlery.

He stopped when he was out of sight from the Gryffindors, catching his breath. Draco then started power-walking to the owlery, knowing it would be too risky to use his own eagle owl that was recognized all around the school by practically every student. When Draco finally arrived at the owlery he grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment and scribbled a letter, the writing was barely legitimate because Draco was so nervously excited.

_Harry Potter,  
Feel like meeting up? We haven't seen each other for a few days, sad as it is I vaguely miss your company. Meet me in the room of requirement after dinner tonight,  
Yours eternally,  
D.M_

Draco sent the letter off with a random barn owl and casually strolled back down the stairs of the Owlery when he felt the inside of his left arm burn with the intensity of a desert sun. He had to bite his tongue to stop himself from screaming out in pain. Draco crouched down on the ground against the staircase and gripped his arm tightly, tears welling in his eyes from the pain that seemed to electrify through his arm, and now the pain of his bleeding tongue too. He tried to regain his composure as he heard footsteps ascending the stairs, heading straight towards him. Draco pushed himself into a standing position just in time for a small fourth year girl to look at him curiously.

'What?' He hissed at the young brunette.

'Nothing,' she squeaked and scurried into the owlery.

Stupid little Hufflepuff, staring at him like he was some sort of exhibit at a zoo, he would have hexed her if she wasn't so young. Angry with the fourth year girl Draco stormed down the stairs wiping the stray tear that escaped his eye and hastily ran through the crowds to the Slytherin common room.

Later that night, only minutes before Draco left his dorm to go to dinner an owl flew straight through the small dungeon window and a letter fell onto Draco's bed before the owl flew straight back out. Draco rushed over to the letter, anxious that it was from Harry, to be more specific, a rejection letter from Harry.

_Draco Malfoy,  
After dinner sounds good. See you then.  
H.P_

Draco's heart swelled with happiness... wait – no it didn't! It swelled with... anxiety! That's it, he was only anxious because he hasn't seen Potter in a few days and was paranoid that he might not want to see Draco anymore. Totally legitimate reason if Draco said so himself.

Dinner went excruciatingly slow for Draco; he just wanted to be done with all the fellow Slytherins asking if he had heard any recent news on the Dark Lord. Stupid people in Draco's opinion. He never asked to be the son of a Death Eater, and if he had the choice he probably wouldn't have anything to do with the Dark Lord. _But that's just it!_ Draco's mind told him. _You don't have a choice!_ Draco then got a tidal wave of depression at that fact. He felt his left arm tingle with the sensation of Evil. If evil had a sensation or feeling, it was the Dark Mark that was permanently engraved into Draco's arm.

'Are you okay?' Draco looked up to see Pansy looking at him with concerned eyes, it was only then that Draco realized he had a single tear trailing his face.

'Fine,' Draco said with finality, Pansy said not another word.

Draco then noticed his owl flying down towards him. He knew exactly who the letter was from and what it would contain, he always got a letter of an update after every burning attack on his arm. He gripped the letter from the owl and shooed it away without feeding it a treat, it hooted at him once in annoyance then flew off. He hastily ripped open the letter, hiding it from everyone's view by holding it under the table as he read.

_Dearest son,  
The meeting went well. We need more information on what is happening soon. We can't make the plans if we don't know what is going on! Hold up your end of the bargain or you know what will happen. He is getting impatient son, if you can't give us anything solid soon the worst will have to happen.  
Your father,  
Lucius Malfoy._

Draco felt his whole body tremble in fear, he knew exactly what that letter meant. If he didn't hold his end of the arrangement he would meet an early expiring date. Draco tried to control himself as Pansy and Blaise gave him looks of admiration. Stupid ignorant idiots, Draco wanted to hex them for being so utterly brainwashed.

After the never-ending dinner finished Draco was up and out of the Great Hall doors before anyone else. He rushed to the room of requirement and when that magical door appeared Draco walked into a room that had a lounge, a fireplace, a small fridge filled with snacks and a table. Draco had the letter from his father stuffed into his robe pocket. Moments later Potter walked into the room with a small smile playing on his lips and Draco couldn't help but smile back.

'So, what's been going on? We haven't seen each other in a while...' Potter said casually.  
'Yeah, been a while' Draco gave a nervous laugh. 'I haven't really been doing anything... What about you?'

Draco sat down on the lounge while Potter walked over and got two butterbeers from the small fridge coming to sit back down next to Draco he handed him one and sipped the other for himself as he sat down.

'Nothing, just... the usual... You know how it is,' Harry gave a single laugh then looked at Draco with a smile.  
'Anyway...' Draco had no idea what he was going to say... He didn't know what to talk about around Harry, he always got nervous. It was only because he was scared he would say the wrong thing and Harry would get angry and run off... or worse, hex him.

Draco sipped the butterbeer for something to do, hoping Potter would bring up something to talk about, to Draco's luck, he did.

'So, any particular reason you wanted to see me tonight?' Potter asked casually. Okay, maybe not to Draco's luck.  
'Err... Not really actually, I just haven't seen you in a while, I thought it would be good to just... hang.' Draco mumbled his response.

Damn Potter, making him nevous and not being able to make a coherent sentence! Totally because of the nerves about Potter not wanting to be his friend. Draco just looked at Potter as he had a concentrating look on his face.

'O...kay,' Potter said as he looked nervously around the room. Taking another sip of his butterbeer he motioned around the room, 'Nice room,'

'Thanks, I thought it would be nice.' Draco said then blushed at the stupidity of his comment. The conversation was light and awkward but after a few more butterbeers the boys were getting along extremely well. Harry was still making most of the conversation and Draco was nodding along to show he was listening intently. Harry kept reaching over and touching Draco's shoulder every so often for emphasis on what he was saying and would always bump shoulders with him while talking, Draco thought that Harry must get a little flirty when he's had a few drinks, not that Draco was complaining anyway. By the time it had hit almost midnight the they decided it was time to leave, Draco stood, gave Harry an awkward one-armed hug slash handshake thing and hurried out of the room before he made even more of a fool of himself.

When Draco finally stumbled clumsily into his bed he flopped face first and closed his eyes, thinking of Harry, he wasn't just 'Potter' anymore, not after tonight. To anyone else their night probably seemed like a casual night between two mates who decided to have a few drinks, but to Draco it was so much more. He really got to know the real Harry, they didn't ask each other questions or anything like that, they just spoke about everything and anything, a deep conversation where they reveal their deepest loves and fears and everything in between. Even though it was alcohol induced, Draco didn't forget a single thing Harry told him. He still remembered Harry's favourite colour, Quidditch team, subject at school, occupation and every other minor detail Harry assumed Draco would forget the moment he said it.

The next day Draco woke up feeling a little ill but knew he could tough it out throughout the day. Getting up slowly he showered, dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Draco was in a particularly good mood today. Harry had said that he would owl Draco so they could arrange another meeting. This time not straight after dinner because the Weasel and Granger would probably question where he went after dinner when he got back.

Sitting in the great hall eating breakfast Draco remembered his father's letter from the previous day and suddenly got nervous. He tried to think back to last night, did Harry mention anything about the order? Anything useful to the Dark Lord? Draco couldn't remember if anything Harry said was relevant, all he could remember was Harry's favourite colour and other little facts. The Dark Lord couldn't care less that Harry hated Defense against the Dark Arts and loved Transfiguration, or that Harry loved the colour blue and hated the colour yellow, that he preferred chocolate milk over coffee or tea. Draco sighed in defeat, a whole night with the Golden Boy and all he seemed to remember where the things that the Dark Lord couldn't care less about. Just at Draco had that thought Harry walked through the oak doors with a smile on his face.

He then looked in Draco's direction and that smile that Draco thought was aimed at him turned into a look of confusion mixed with something Draco couldn't pick up on. Thinking not much of it... Well okay, over thinking it, Draco got paranoid that last night was a fluke and that Harry remembered it all and now hated him. Why would Harry Potter remember Draco's favourite colour and drink and subject? He didn't because Harry Potter doesn't care... This thought made Draco go into a spell of wicked depression that seemed to love his misery more and more every day.

Draco went about his day, waiting for any sort of owl to come towards him, but none came. He was starting to get worried but then assured himself that the only reason Harry hadn't owled was because he hadn't had a moment alone yet. Draco had calmed a little after he came up with this reason, although he was still anticipating Harry's letter more than anything.

_Face it Draco, you have a crush on Harry Potter._ Draco's mind whispered to him through potions when he was staring at the back of Harry's raven hair. _I do not!_ He thought to himself. _Now you're fighting with your own mind?_ His mind seemed to think all on its own. _No, I'm fighting with my heart, I don't now, nor will I ever have a crush on Harry Potter._ Draco then shook his head. He really was going insane, fighting with himself over a stupid crush, which totally was not a crush anyway.

Waiting for the moment that the owl arrived got more and more nerve racking when dinner came and passed and Draco still had no sign of a letter from Harry. Walking back to his dorm Draco decided that he'd wander around the castle for a little, hoping to clear is mind of these irrational and disgusting thoughts of himself crushing on Potter. A soft warm wall crashed into Draco, which pulled him out of his thoughts.

'Whoa watch it! Oh! Har-.. I mean... Potter, you never owled!' Draco blurted out, then silently scolded himself for the blunt stupidity.  
'Why the hell should I Malfoy? I can't believe you! I trusted you! Do you hear me? I. TRUSTED. YOU!' Potter shoved Draco so hard that he fell to the ground and for some odd reason that shocked Draco, he didn't want to fight back with Harry... This was Harry, it wasn't just Potter or some random Gryffindor.

'I don't... I don't understand... What did I do?' Draco tried to make it sound casual but considering he was sitting on the hallway floor and looking up into Harry's eyes, it came out more as a beg.  
'You know exactly what you have done Malfoy!' Potter then pulled something out of his pocket, threw it at Draco and stormed down the corridor in a huff.

Draco's blood ran cold, it was his father's letter. It must have fallen out of his pocket sometime last night. Draco wanted to cry, but he wouldn't let himself, instead he sat on the cold stone floor and stared at the letter in shock, hoping to god that Harry would give him the time of day to explain everything.

Walking through the castle towards the cold dungeons where the Slytherin common room was, Draco couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt rush through his body, he pulled up his left sleeve just enough to reveal part of the Dark Mark that was scalded into his skin, he then let a few tears escape his eyes as he hurried through the common room and into his bed. He pulled the curtains around his bed, cast a silencing and locking charm and broke down, the tears cascaded down his pale features, lining his face with wet streaks. Draco ripped off his robes in anger and scratched with all his strength at the black skull on his arm, blood started to slide down his arm but in his moment of angry sadness he couldn't have cared any less than in that moment. He screamed and threw himself onto the bed with as much force as he could and then let the sobs come harsh and loud in his throat. After lying still for a long moment, his breathing calmed a little but the tears still betrayed him as they slowly slid down his temples and into his blonde hair.

'What have I gotten myself into?' He asked himself out loud. 'I'm sorry father, for failing you. I never meant to fall in love with him... It was only a mission, not a holiday, but I guess things change... Forgive me.' Draco whispered as he rolled onto his side, not bothering to change into his pajamas he cried himself into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning Draco woke up with a pounding headache, he then remembered that it's a Saturday and sighed gratefully. Everything from last night came rushing back in a flash of pictures and memories and Draco didn't waste a second as he jumped off of his bed and changed into clean clothes as fast as he could before bolting down through the common room, through the hallways and into the great hall receiving funny looks the whole way, but Draco didn't take notice, he needed to explain to Harry. He then noticed that his raven haired love wasn't there yet, which in a way in good, he didn't want to have to make a massive scene in front of the whole school. Waiting for Harry to turn up Draco looked into a distant window and noticed why he was receiving the strange looks, he hadn't brushed his hair and it was poking up all over the place. Hastily brushing it with his fingers and deeming it half decent he walked over to the staircase he knew Harry would walk down. He then looked down at his arm and realized his hand was also covered in blood from his lash out last night. Draco sighed and held his arm tight against his side.

It was then he saw Harry casually walking down the stairs, Harry hadn't noticed him yet but Granger and Weasley had. They were eyeing him off suspiciously and Draco just looked back at them casually until Harry noticed. When he did, Harry sighed and walked to the other side of the staircase, still walking down the stairs, so Draco moved to the other side too, waiting patiently.

'What do you want Draco?' Harry burst out as he stopped on the bottom stair.  
'Let me explain, please!' Draco pleaded, 'I ran all the way here, barely awake, a pounding headache and un-groomed just so I could explain everything t you!' Draco begged.

'What is going on here Malfoy?' Ron spat.  
'Back off Weasel, none of your bloody business!' Draco retorted.  
'Watch your mouth Malfoy!' Granger hissed.

'Look, Harry, please... just... let me explain everything, I swear you'll understand when I finish.' Draco pleaded, gripping Harry's shoulders as he spoke. Harry didn't pull away, his eyes softened for a moment but they turned straight back to that striking emerald not a second later.

'Get away from me, Malfoy. I don't want anything to do with you anymore, just leave me alone.' Harry hissed and stormed off, Granger and Weasley right behind him shouting questions loudly.

'WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?' Draco screamed when he noticed a bunch of students were staring at him with shock filled faces. They all scattered as soon as Draco screamed. Draco then watched as Harry tried hard to answer the questions his friends were shouting at him while they walked into the great hall. Not feeling hungry at all, Draco walked slowly back to his dorm, slouching the whole way there.

Draco didn't leave his room the entire day that day, he just sat there in the darkened room not wanting to ever leave because he knew that Harry didn't want him, and what was the point? If Harry didn't want him, no one else would. His parents didn't want him, the Dark Lord only wanted him to get information from Harry, his friends only want to get information about the Dark Lord and the only other person left that he actually spoke to was a house elf and she only stayed because she had too. It wasn't until dinner time when Draco finally left the confines of his room, he slowly walked to the great hall, knowing he would be late for dinner but not particularly caring. When he entered the hall he knew straight away that something was wrong, practically the whole hall stopped talking and stared at him then back to Harry like they were all watching a tennis match. He sighed, ignored it and walked over to the Slytherin table to eat as much as he could without having to leave his room again for the rest of his schooling life.

After the sound in the hall picked up again did Draco finally dare to look in Harry's direction, it was that he noticed that half of the students of Gryffindor were sitting as far away as possible from him. Draco didn't understand, the school should be sitting as far away as they could from him, not Harry.

Harry glanced up and their eyes connected before Harry glared and turned away.

'Evening,' Blaise said as he sat down next to Draco.  
'SHUT UP!' Blaise flinched slightly as Draco screamed then he grabbed a bun, a sausage roll and a goblet of juice and left the great hall.

'Thanks a lot Malfoy, now you can go back to Voldemort and tell him everything I ever told you! I hate you!' Harry screamed as he advanced on Draco.  
'Please... Harry let me explain everything!'  
'NO! Every single person in that hall now thinks that I am making deals with you about Voldemort.' Harry snapped and Draco flinched slightly at the name.

'But you're not, you wouldn't-'  
'THEY DON'T CARE IF I WOULD OR WOULDN'T MALFOY! THEY BELIEVE ANYTHING THEY HEAR AND WHAT THEY HEARD WAS YOU BEGGING TO EXPLAIN! THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN BUT NOW EVERYONE KNOWS WE'VE BEEN MEETING IN SECRET!' Harry screamed.  
'I said I was sorry...' Draco broke, his composure cracked and his fake mask fell to the floor and shattered because tears fell from him eyes and Harry looked like he had just seen a ghost for the first time.

'Let me explain Harry... Please!' Draco sobbed quietly.  
'Okay... Just... Just err... come here.' Harry then lead Draco into the first room they came across.

'Explain.' Harry said as soon as they were inside the room with the door shut.

'It was a mission, to get information from you... I didn't want to do it in the first place, I never wanted to hurt you Harry, I promise. But then when I did get random clips of information I would twist the words around and lie about it so that they had all the wrong information...' Draco then faltered.  
'W-Why would you do that?' Harry whispered as he reached forward and put a hand on either of Draco's shoulders.  
'Because I never wanted to see you hurt. Things changed, I'll admit, it started as a mission, I was only going to get information from you then things would go back to normal, but it didn't happen that way, my feelings for you... they changed Harry...' Draco held back another sob threatening to escape him.

'How? Now you like me? I just... can't understand why you just didn't tell me from the start, I can still help you Draco... You know it's not too late? Just let me help you...' Harry whispered as he pulled Draco into a comforting hug.  
'Harry... please... I don't want to be his slave anymore...'  
'You don't have to be. I promise.'  
'Everyone hates you now, it's my fault...' Draco whispered.  
'Don't worry, it will blow over.'

'Harry...?' Draco whispered.  
'Yeah?'  
'I... I love you' Draco blurted it out... He hadn't meant to but he did, he just went right out and said it.  
'What?'  
'Oh god!' Draco cried, pushed away from Harry and ran out of the classroom, crying the whole way to the Slytherin dorms, running as fast as he could. When he reached the common room he heard Pansy scream his name but he ignored her and kept on running until he was safe in his bed... Well at least he thought he was safe.

'Draco Malfoy, what in gods name are you doing?' Pansy demanded as she entered Draco's room and pulled his curtains back. 'Oh gosh, Draco, are you okay? What's happened?' She said suddenly concerned for him.

'Things got out of hand Pansy, with the mission... I can't do it anymore,' Draco sobbed and cuddled against the black haired girl.  
'Why? Why can't you do it? You know what will happen if you don't...' She said urgently.  
'I know Pansy but he's different, he's so different to what we all expected or thought of him, he's nice, funny, sweet and he cares about everyone.' Draco sighed.  
'You sound like you're in love' Pansy scoffed.  
'I... I am, Pansy... I fell in love with him.'

Pansy stood up abruptly and looked at Draco like he was insane and needed to be rushed to St Mungos straight away.

'You're joking right?' Pansy said as she was on the verge of hysterics.  
'No, I'm really not, Pansy... You don't understand.'  
'You're right... I really don't... That is so screwed up in ways more than one.' Pansy said disgusted and stormed out.

Draco didn't feel any better, he felt like there was the world, then dirt, then manure, then maggots, then him. He thought she would at least understand slightly. But no, she didn't because it's Pansy Parkinson, she was going to be the next Bellatrix Lestrange, she loved the Dark Lord more than any sixteen year old girl should.

Draco cried himself to sleep, knowing that tomorrow was just going to be worse than today.

When Draco woke up it was late, breakfast would be over soon so he rushed to get ready, then left the dorms, walked through the empty common room and when he stepped outside the common room door he did not expect to find what he did.

Harry Potter was sitting against the wall with his head in his hands, waiting.  
'Harry?' Draco whispered, causing Harry to jump up in surprise.  
'Draco, please... listen, last night you caught me so off guard with what you said, I didn't know that is how you felt, and I took some time to think about it, and I realized... well Draco, I... I think I love you too.' Harry said so quickly Draco was struggling to keep up with what he was saying.

'Wait... you do?'  
'Yes, Draco... I really do...' Harry then leant forward and pulled Draco into a hug, kissing his hair in a comforting manner.  
'Thank you...' Draco whispered.  
'For what?'  
'Wanting me when no else does.' Draco then looked up into Harry's emerald eyes and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

They gripped hands and started to walk to the great hall, when they arrived Harry turned to Draco.  
'I'll go in first; you wait a few minutes then come in too okay?'  
Draco nodded his agreement and waited a few minutes then walked in. Everyone was glaring at him or giving mean looks but Draco didn't care. Harry wanted him. Harry loved him. Everything will turn out fine.

'DRACO MALFOY IS A DEATH EATER; HE EVEN HAS THE DARK MARK. HE IS ALSO IN LOVE WITH HARRY POTTER!' Draco stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the person who screamed it. Pansy.  
'I... It's... Harry...' Draco looked over at Harry who seemed to be in shock but then the teachers stood and proceeded to approach Draco.

'No...' He whispered, turned and ran as fast as he could, he ran out into the grounds and hid behind a random tree.  
'Draco?' Harry called as he ran as fast as he could towards the tree Draco was hidden behind.  
'Harry, please! I'm so sorry, I should have told you! Really, I should have!' Draco sobbed, Draco then realized he had cried more in the past week then he had in the past sixteen years.  
'The teachers are coming, they're going to take me to Azkaban, Harry, just know that I'm sorry and I never meant to hurt you...' Draco then fell to the ground in a heap.

'You aren't going to Azkaban, not while I'm by your side Draco!' Harry then turned and started to drag Draco towards the Whomping Willow, Draco didn't object, knowing that whatever Harry was planning he was safe.

Harry then cast a charm to spell a random stick to poke a random part on the stump of the willow and it stopped moving instantly. Draco then followed as Harry ran over to the tree and crouched through a random hole and started crawling.

'Come on Draco, they won't catch us if we hurry.' Harry whispered as they crawled through a long winding tunnel, when the tunnel finally ended they were in a small shack and Draco instantly recognized it.

'The Shrieking Shack?' He asked stupidly.  
'Only way in and out of Hogwarts that isn't stopped by magic,' Harry said proudly. 'Grip my hand and don't let go,' Harry put out his hand and Draco took it, not ready for the sensation of being squeezed through a small pipe, when he could finally breath again he noticed they weren't in the Shrieking Shack anymore, he had no idea where they were.

'Harry, where the hell are we?' Draco said a little worried.  
'I apparated us here, we're in muggle London, come on.' Harry then lead Draco around the corner of the small alley and into a small café.

'What are we going to do now?' Draco asked as they sat down in a booth at the back. 'I can't go back there, they'll throw me in Azkaban.' Draco looked at his hands, ashamed.  
'Can I see it?' Harry then said suddenly.  
'See what?' Draco said slightly confused.  
'The mark…'

Harry didn't wait for an answer, he reached over and gripped Draco's sleeve, pulling it back to reveal the mark.

'I'm sorry… I didn't have a choice…'  
'You know what?' Harry said.  
'What?' Draco asked, expecting bad news.  
'I don't care if you have this mark on your arm, as long as you promise this is what you want.'  
'It is, Harry, of course. I never wanted this mark.'

There was a long silence.

'Harry? You know I can't go back to Hogwarts right?'  
'I know…'  
'Then what are we going to do?'  
'Well… As long as I'm here with you, and you're here with me… I guess we'll do whatever we have too to keep you safe until this war is over and then after that… We get that fairytale ending that everyone hopes for but never really gets.'  
'Do you promise?' Draco's heart felt as though it would burst of happiness despite their situation.  
'Forever. I love you Draco,'  
'I love you too… Always.'

FIN!


End file.
